Inspired by the recent exploits of two young Australian players gaining grandmaster norms in Europe, New Zealand's own chess prodigy, Puchen Wang (17) of Auckand, has set out to earn the GM title in his gap year before university. Puchen won the New Zealand championship and earned the International Master title last year, so after completing his schoolwork it was time to try his hand against the professionals. So far this year he has played in four international tournaments, in France, Hungary and twice in Australia. The results have been good, with some improvement in Puchen's rating, but no GM norms as yet. Puchen is gaining valuable experience against the professionals, who are typically much better prepared than the top New Zealand players. After a short hiatus back at home to rest and prepare, he is currently playing in an international open Benidorm, Spain.
The New Zealand Chess Federation is fundraising in a effort to support Puchen in his quest. More information is posted on the website www.newzealandchess.co.nz.
Todays' game is from the Sydney International Open in March, and features a smooth attacking game by Puchen Wang with White against Australian Paul Broekhuyse. The notes are by the winner.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Qc2 Be7 8. e4 Nxc3 9. bxc3 O-O 10. Bd3 c5 11. O-O Nc6 12. Bb2 ---
All theory in the Queen's Indian Defence. 12 --- Rc8 13. Qe2 Re8 14. Rad1 Qc7 15. Rfe1 e5 16. d5 Na5 17. c4 Bd6 18. Qc2 b5 19. Nd2 ---
Or 19.cxb5 c4 20.Be2 c3 21.Bc1 with advantage. Black has no strong follow-up but taking the pawn is a hard decision to make for a human player because it seems black has good play for it and white cannot recapture the c3-pawn easily. 19 --- bxc4 20. Nxc4 Ba6? 21. Nxd6 Qxd6
If 21...Bxd3, then 22.Nxe8 Bxc2 23.Nxc7 Bxd1 24.Rxd1 Nc4 25.Bxe5 Nxe5 26.Nb5 a6 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.f4 with an extra pawn and a big plus for White. 22. Bxa6 Qxa6 23. d6! Red8
The advanced pawn further disorganises the black pieces and paves the way for an attack on the black king down the long diagonal and central files. If here 23...Re6 then 24.d7 Rd8 25.Qxc5 with advantage. 24. Bxe5 Nc4 25. d7 Rc6 26. Ba1 Nb6
If 26...Rc7 then 27.Qc3 f6 28.Qh3 defends d7. 27. Qc3 f6 28. e5 Nxd7
The alternative 28...Rxd7 also leads to a loss: 29.exf6 gxf6 30.Qg3+ Kf7 (30...Kf8 31.Re8+ Kxe8 32.Qg8+ Ke7 33.Re1+ Kd6 34.Qg3+ Kd5 35.Qf3+ Kd6 36.Qf4+ Kd5 37.Rd1+ Ke6 38.Qxf6# ) 31.Qh3 Qc8 32.Qxh7+ Kf8 33.Qh6+ Kf7 34.Bxf6 Rxf6 35.Qh7+ Kf8 36.Qh8+ Kf7 37.Qxc8 Nxc8 38 Rxd7 etc. 29. exf6 Rxf6 30. Re7 Qa4 31. Qd2 Rf7 32. Rxf7 Kxf7 33. Qd5+ Kf8 34. Qf5+ Kg8 35. Qe6+ Kh8 36. Bxg7+! Kxg7 37. Qe7+ Kg6 38. Rd6+ Resigns
It's mate after 38....Kh5 39.Rd5+ Ne5 40.Rxe5+ Kg6 41.Rg5+ Kh6 42.Qg7.
Wang pursues GM title
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
Inspired by the recent exploits of two young Australian players gaining grandmaster norms in Europe, New Zealand's own chess prodigy, Puchen Wang (17) of Auckand, has set out to earn the GM title in his gap year before university. Puchen won the New Zealand championship and earned the International Master title last year, so after completing his schoolwork it was time to try his hand against the professionals. So far this year he has played in four international tournaments, in France, Hungary and twice in Australia. The results have been good, with some improvement in Puchen's rating, but no GM norms as yet. Puchen is gaining valuable experience against the professionals, who are typically much better prepared than the top New Zealand players. After a short hiatus back at home to rest and prepare, he is currently playing in an international open Benidorm, Spain.
The New Zealand Chess Federation is fundraising in a effort to support Puchen in his quest. More information is posted on the website www.newzealandchess.co.nz.
Todays' game is from the Sydney International Open in March, and features a smooth attacking game by Puchen Wang with White against Australian Paul Broekhuyse. The notes are by the winner.
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nf3 b6
4. a3 Bb7
5. Nc3 d5
6. cxd5 Nxd5
7. Qc2 Be7
8. e4 Nxc3
9. bxc3 O-O
10. Bd3 c5
11. O-O Nc6
12. Bb2 ---
All theory in the Queen's Indian Defence.
12 --- Rc8
13. Qe2 Re8
14. Rad1 Qc7
15. Rfe1 e5
16. d5 Na5
17. c4 Bd6
18. Qc2 b5
19. Nd2 ---
Or 19.cxb5 c4 20.Be2 c3 21.Bc1 with advantage. Black has no strong follow-up but taking the pawn is a hard decision to make for a human player because it seems black has good play for it and white cannot recapture the c3-pawn easily.
19 --- bxc4
20. Nxc4 Ba6?
21. Nxd6 Qxd6
If 21...Bxd3, then 22.Nxe8 Bxc2 23.Nxc7 Bxd1 24.Rxd1 Nc4 25.Bxe5 Nxe5 26.Nb5 a6 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.f4 with an extra pawn and a big plus for White.
22. Bxa6 Qxa6
23. d6! Red8
The advanced pawn further disorganises the black pieces and paves the way for an attack on the black king down the long diagonal and central files. If here 23...Re6 then 24.d7 Rd8 25.Qxc5 with advantage.
24. Bxe5 Nc4
25. d7 Rc6
26. Ba1 Nb6
If 26...Rc7 then 27.Qc3 f6 28.Qh3 defends d7.
27. Qc3 f6
28. e5 Nxd7
The alternative 28...Rxd7 also leads to a loss: 29.exf6 gxf6 30.Qg3+ Kf7 (30...Kf8 31.Re8+ Kxe8 32.Qg8+ Ke7 33.Re1+ Kd6 34.Qg3+ Kd5 35.Qf3+ Kd6 36.Qf4+ Kd5 37.Rd1+ Ke6 38.Qxf6# ) 31.Qh3 Qc8 32.Qxh7+ Kf8 33.Qh6+ Kf7 34.Bxf6 Rxf6 35.Qh7+ Kf8 36.Qh8+ Kf7 37.Qxc8 Nxc8 38 Rxd7 etc.
29. exf6 Rxf6
30. Re7 Qa4
31. Qd2 Rf7
32. Rxf7 Kxf7
33. Qd5+ Kf8
34. Qf5+ Kg8
35. Qe6+ Kh8
36. Bxg7+! Kxg7
37. Qe7+ Kg6
38. Rd6+ Resigns
It's mate after 38....Kh5 39.Rd5+ Ne5 40.Rxe5+ Kg6 41.Rg5+ Kh6 42.Qg7.
1-0
Solution: 1 Qg8+!! Qxg8 2 Kd3 and 3 c4#.